Mr. John McCarthy - the Founder

Mr. John McCarthyDuring my years of giving retreats to the senior students in our secondary schools, it became obvious that students had little knowledge of their faith and those who wanted to take their faith seriously found it difficult to meet with their peers, where their faith could be shared.

Over many years, the Lord led me to many different countries to reveal how a concrete response could be given. The idea that became most vivid was the idea of a school of Evangelisation where young adults could come together on a residential basis, share in community life, receive Catholic formation, and be empowered with the tools of Evangelisation. Finally the Lord led us to Knock where we were inspired to pitch our tent. Our Lady’s School of Evangelisation-Knock opened its doors to the first students on the 15th of September, 2006.

This school is proving to be a place of hope and healing where young people are growing in a personal relationship with Jesus, and I hoped that this school will lead many schools to sprout up throughout Ireland and perhaps beyond!

 
 
Ms Eleanor Healy - Co-Founder

Ms Eleanor HealyHaving qualified as a Nurse and worked in the caring profession I changed career to work in Aer Lingus as Senior Cabin Crew. Although I travelled world wide in this ‘glamorous career’ my life was unfulfilled. I was leading a very worldly materialistic and superficial life. In 2000 I came to a crossroads when I was invited by Our Lady through a friend to go to Medjugorje.  During this pilgrimage I had a wonderful experience and it left no doubt in my mind that God truly existed and he loved me personally and unconditionally.

After this experience in Medjugorje I started to bring groups of people to experience what I had experienced. I began to see many miracles and healings and many lives were transformed after people began to open their heart to God and practice their faith. I had a particular interest in young people and teenagers being a mother of two girls myself.  I met with John McCarthy who had a vision to set up a school of evangelisation for young people where they would come into a personal relationship with Jesus and learn how to live a life of abundance.

I was immediately drawn to help with this initiative and a group of us met for many years to pray and discern the way forward.  During this time I attended many courses in spirituality and evangelisation. I travelled to Belgium Malta Krakow and Rome to conferences on evangelisation where I met with Albert Galea who had the experience necessary to implement this vision.

I decided to leave my flying career to move to the West of Ireland to help to start the school. We set up an office in my new home where we spent a year doing preparation work i.e. setting up the charity, fundraising for the seed money and preparing a proposal for the Archbishop etc. The Lord provided all the help we required along the way and this certainly deepened my own faith to see what God can do when we trust him and step out in faith

Two years on the school is up and running and I look back and see the extraordinary miracles that God has performed to bring this school to life.

 
 
Staff Members

Our Lady’s School of Evangelisation-Knock recruits responsible, qualified and experienced lay Catholic staff for the running of the school and supervision of daily community life. Most of the staff will be working as lay missionaries without a salary; however we try to help them with their living expenses and provide them accommodation.

 

 

 

 

Staff members 2009-2010

- John Mc Carthy, Director & Founder

- Eleanor Healy, Fundraiser & Co- Founder

- Collette O’Brien, Secretary

- Niall Mc Grory, Assistant Director, Past Student Our Lady’s School of Evangelisation

- Ania Marek, School Co-ordinator & Development Officer, MA Religious Education & Social Work

- Michelle Page, House Co-ordinator & Music Ministry, Past Student Our Lady’s School of Evangelisation.

- Goretti Mc Guinness, prayer and pastoral facilitator, Art and Music Ministry, BA (Hons) English
and Sociology, (Currently completing a Masters in Pastoral Studies and Education P/T)